Reply to the first systematic response by the Global Footprint Network to criticism: A real debate finally?

We respond to a reaction of the Global Footprint Network/GFN on our 8-point criticism of the ecological footprint. We also refer to, and comment on, an associated debate in this journal between Giampietro and Saltelli, 2014a, Giampietro and Saltelli, 2014b, on the one hand, and Goldfinger et al. (2014), on the other. We conclude that criticism on the footprint is accumulating and coherent across the various studies and disciplines and among the different authors. This was the first time that Wackernagel/GFN systematically responded to our criticisms. Hence, our response contains several original elements and the resulting exchange can be seen to add value to the existing literature. It ultimately allows readers to better make up their mind about the different viewpoints on the ecological footprint.     

Elastic properties of bacterial flagellar filaments. II. Determination of the modulus of rigidity

Elongation of a helical bacterial flagellar filament subjected to fluid flow was calculated on the assumption that one end of the filament is firmly attached to a substratum. It was found that the quantity [E(d/2 pi r)2 + 2 mu] could be determined by measuring the elongation at various flow rates, where E is Young's modulus, mu the modulus of rigidity, r the radius of the helix, and d the helical pitch. Experiments were carried out to determine the above quantity for Salmonella flagellar filaments assuming a close-coil form. Because the above quantity is almost equal to 2 mu for a helical form with a large radius/pitch ratio, we were able to determine the modulus of rigidity for this kind of flagellar filament from plots of elongation vs. flow rates. The modulus of rigidity was determined to be about 1 X 10(11) dyn/cm2, i.e., 2 orders of magnitude larger than the previously estimated value.     

Responses to water stress of apoplastic water fraction and bulk modulus of elasticity in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) genotypes of contrasting capacity for osmotic adjustment

The responses to water stress of the bulk modulus of elasticity () and the apoplastic water fraction were examined using six sunflower cultivars of differing capacity for osmotic adjustment (OA). Water stress did not affect the partitioning of water between apoplastic (ca. 20%) and symplastic fractions in leaves which expanded during the exposure to stress in any genotype. Hence, no genotype-linked effects on either the buffering of cell water status during stress or on the estimates of bulk leaf osmotic potential could be expected. Genotypes differed in the degree of change in (estimated from pressure/volume [P/V] curves) and OA (estimated using both ln RWC/ ln o plots and P/V curves) induced by exposure to stress. In three genotypes increased significantly (p=0.05) as a consequence of stress, in another three change were small. OA was the only attribute of the three examined that could have contributed to turgor maintenance under stress. There was a strong negative association between leaf expansion and degree of OA across genotypes (r=–0.91) and a strong positive one between OA and (r=0.94). However all genotypes evidenced some degree of OA. These results are consistent with part of the genotype differences in OA being attributable to variations in leaf expansion during exposure to stress.     

Effects of physical exercise on the elasticity and elastic components of the rat aorta

To evaluate the effects of exercise on aortic wall elasticity and elastic components, young male rats underwent various exercise regimes for 16 weeks. In the exercised rats, the aortic incremental elastic modulus decreased significantly when under physiological strain. The aortic content of elastin increased significantly and the calcium content of elastin decreased significantly in the exercised group. The accumulated data from the exercised and sedentary groups revealed that the elastin calcium content was related positively to the incremental elastic modulus. We concluded that physical exercise from an early age decreases the calcium deposit in aortic wall elastin and that this effect probably produced in the exercised rats a distensible aorta.     

Ammonium uptake in carrot cell structures is influenced by pH-dependent cell aggregation

Semicontinuously grown wild carrot ( Daucus carota L.) cells were used in an investigation of the effect of culture medium pH on ammonium uptake in suspension cultures as a first step in exploring the relationship between pH and anthocyanin biosynthesis. In contrast to published data showing decreasing uptake rates with decreasing culture medium pH, ammonium-limited, semicontinuous carrot cell cultures showed a 25% greater ammonium uptake rate at pH 4.5 than at pH 5.5. When cells that had been grown semicontinuously in medium with a pH of 4.5 or 5.5 were grown in batch cultures at pH 4.5, 5.5 or 6.5 the ammonium uptake rates were those of the semicontinuous cultures, indicating that the pH of the batch culture medium had no effect on ammonium uptake rates over 7 days. The cell culture was composed of very small aggregates when it was grown semicontinuously in medium at pH 4.5, but was composed of large aggregates when it was grown semicontinuously in medium at pH 5.5. The aggregation/disaggregation of the cells was pH dependent, as changing the pH of the semicontinuous culture medium altered the extent of the aggregation. We conclude that the change in culture medium pH caused the cells to aggregate or disaggregate which in turn decreased or increased the rate of ammonium uptake from the medium.     

Seasonal changes of osmotic pressure, symplasmic water content and tissue elasticity in the blades of dune grasses growing in situ along the coast of Oregon

Abstract Midday water potentials of blades of the dune grasses Ammophila arenaria (L.) Link and Elymus mollis Trin. ex Spreng. growing in situ declined over the summer growing period, indicating a trend of increasing water stress. An analysis of the water relations characteristics of these blades using pressure-volume techniques demonstrated that both species increased bulk osmotic pressure at full hydration () and, therefore, bulk turgor as an acclimation response. In A. arenaria, however, the increase of osmotic pressure (+ 0.35 MPa) was entirely the result of decreasing symplasmic water content. The increase of osmotic pressure (+ 0.54 MPa) observed in E. mollis blades was due to solute accumulation (72% of Δ) and to a lesser degree, decreased symplasmic water content (28% of Δ). Osmotic adjustment in E. mollis blades was accompanied by a significant decrease in tissue elasticity (_max went from 12 to 19 MPa). The elastic properties of A. arenaria blades remained constant over the same period and had a maximum modulus (10 MPa) that was always less than that of E. mollis, As estimated from Höfler plots, these seasonal adjustments of osmotic pressure and differences in tissue elasticity enabled plants in situ to maintain turgor pressure in the range of 0.5–0.6 MPa at the lowest water potentials of mid-August. Laboratorygrown plants exhibited the species-specific differences in osmotic pressure, turgor pressure, and tissue elasticity observed in field plants. Although certain alterations of leaf structure were expected to coincide with the observed changes and species-specific differences in symplasmic water content and tissue elasticity, these could not be detected by measurements of specific leaf weight or the ratio of dry matter to saturated water content.     

A theory of the electric field-induced phase transition of phospholipid bilayers

Improving the statistical mechanical model of Jacobs et al. (Jacobs, R.E., Hudson, B. and Andersen, H.C. (1975) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S. 72, 3993–3997) we have constructed a model which describes not only the temperature but also the external field dependence of the membrane structure of phospholipid bilayers. In addition to the interactions between head groups, between hydrocarbon chains, and the internal conformational energy of the chains (which were considered in Jacobs' model), our model includes the energy of deformation and the field energy as well.By the aid of this model we can explain the phenomenon of dielectric breakdown, the non-linearity of current-voltage characteristics, and the mechanism of membrane elasticity.The free energy of the membrane, the average number of the gauche conformations in the hydrocarbon interior and at the membrane surface, gauche distribution along the chain, the membrane thickness, area and volume are calculated at different temperatures and voltages. The calculation also gives the temperature dependence of Young's modulus and that of the linear thermal expansion coefficient.     

Penetration of soil aggregates of finite size

Summary Maximum penetrometer pressure was measured on artificial soil aggregates of finite size (2–29 mm) using blunt probes (total cone angle 60°) driven at 3 mm min⁻¹. Maximum penetrometer pressure increased asymptotically with increase in dimensionless aggregate radius,b/a, wherea andb are the probe and aggregate radii, respectively. A theory was developed for penetration of blunt probes into soil aggregates of finite size. The theory assumed that plastic failure occurs out to a radius,R, and that beyond this only elastic straining occurs. This theory can be applied to estimate the radial and tangential stresses adjacent to a blunt probe. The estimated radial and tangential stresses increased with increase in dimensionless aggregate radius,b/a. The radius of the plastic front,R, around the probe is predicted to increase with increased aggregate size. The results also demonstrate the effect of soil shear cohesion and internal friction angle onR. The results are discussed with reference to root penetration.     

Relationship between resting medial gastrocnemius stiffness and drop jump performance

Although the influence of the series elastic element of the muscle–tendon unit on jump performance has been investigated, the corresponding effect of the parallel elastic element remains unclear. This study examined the relationship between the resting calf muscle stiffness and drop jump performance. Twenty-four healthy men participated in this study. The shear moduli of the medial gastrocnemius and the soleus were measured at rest as an index of muscle stiffness using ultrasound shear wave elastography. The participants performed drop jumps from a 15 cm high box. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to examine the relationships between shear moduli of the muscles and drop jump performance. The medial gastrocnemius shear modulus showed a significant correlation with the drop jump index (jump height/contact time) (r = 0.414, P = 0.044) and jump height (r = 0.411, P = 0.046), but not with contact time (P > 0.05). The soleus shear modulus did not correlate with these jump parameters (P > 0.05). These results suggest that the resting medial gastrocnemius stiffness can be considered as one of the factors that influence drop jump performance. Therefore, increase in resting muscle stiffness should enhance explosive athletic performance in training regimens.